Bibas family slams Netanyahu for ‘abandoning’ hostages as IDF 'ready to go back into Gaza' if Shiri’s body not returned
by Henry Moore · LBCExclusive
By Henry Moore
Israel is ready to re-enter Gaza if Shiri Bibas’ body is not returned to Israel tomorrow, an IDF spokesperson has told LBC.
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It comes as the Bibas family accused Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of “abandoning” Shiri and her two young sons in a furious attack on the Israeli leader.
Israelis continue to reel after it was discovered that the body of Shiri Bibas was not returned by Hamas, with the militant group instead sending an unknown person’s remains during its latest hostage exchange.
Shiri Bibas was kidnapped alongside her husband and two sons - Ariel, 4, and nine-month-old Kfir - from the Niz Or kibbutz during the October 7 attack.
Now, in a furious attack on the Israeli PM, the Bibas family has accused Netanyahu of abandoning the mother and children.
Ofri Bibas, the aunt of Ariel and Kfir Bibas, said: “There is no forgiveness for abandoning them on October 7, and no forgiveness for abandoning them in captivity.
“We did not receive an apology from you in this painful moment”.
Speaking to LBC’s Tom Swarbrick, IDF spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Nadav Shoshan warned Israel could re-enter Gaza if Hamas does not abide by their ceasefire deal and return Shiri’s body on Saturday.
He said: “So since day one of the ceasefire agreement, we've been ready, ready, we've been preparing for, for an incident where Hamas can try and attack us, try and violate this agreement.
“We have to be ready. That's our job, to always be ready for any scenario, to be ready to act if our government says enough is enough with Hamas's violations. And we've been ready since day one of the ceasefire agreement.
“And on one hand, we have a goal to make sure Hamas can never carry out on October 7th again. On the other hand we have a goal to return the hostages.
“So what we're looking forward to happening, we're looking forward. Shiri needs to be returned, that is part of the agreement. And six live hostages need to be returned tomorrow, on Saturday. And that's the agreement.
“And if Hamas wants the ceasefire to be kept, they need to hold their side of the agreement.”
Why the Gaza ceasefire could now break down | LBC analysis
The remains of four hostages, which were handed over to Israel on Thursday as part of an agreed prisoner exchange, were taken to the morgue after travelling in convoy from Gaza.
Israel quickly claimed they did not receive the body of Shiri but instead the remains of an "anonymous body without identification".
In a statement late on Thursday, the IDF said: "During the identification process, it was found that the additional body received was not that of Shiri Bibas, and no match was found for any other abductee.
"It is an anonymous body without identification."
"This is a very serious violation by the Hamas terrorist organisation, which is required by the agreement to return four dead abductees," he continued.
The IDF added: "We demand that Hamas return Shiri home along with all of our abductees."
Israel also confirmed they had received the bodies of Shiri's two children, Ariel and Kfir Bibas.
"This is a very serious violation by the Hamas terrorist organisation, which is required by the agreement to return four dead abductees," he continued.
The IDF added: "We demand that Hamas return Shiri home along with all of our abductees."
Israel also confirmed they had received the bodies of Shiri's two children, Ariel and Kfir Bibas.
Hamas has yet to comment on Israel's claim.
The body of journalist and activist Oded Lifshitz, 83, was returned on Thursday alongside those reported to be of the Bibas family.
Hamas has accepted there may have been an error on its part.
The body of journalist and activist Oded Lifshitz, 83, was returned on Thursday alongside those reported to be of the Bibas family.
On Thursday, the bodies were transferred in four black coffins to Red Cross vehicles in Gaza.
The remains were then carefully transported in convoy through crowd of Hamas fighters armed with guns and Palestinian observers, towards the Israel border.
There, the coffins were handed to Israel, with Israeli citizens seen to line the roads of the route in the rain as they paid their final respects to the famil
'Turmoil'
In an earlier statement, al-Hayya said the group agreed "handing over four bodies of the occupation prisoners on Thursday 20 February, including the bodies of the Bibas family."
A further statement, released by the Bibas family, said it was aware of the Hamas statement.
"In the past few hours, we have been in turmoil following Hamas spokesperson's announcement about the planned return of our Shiri, Ariel, and Kfir this Thursday as part of the hostages' remains release phase," the statement said.
"We want to make it clear that while we are aware of these reports, we have not yet received any official confirmation regarding this matter.
"Until we receive definitive confirmation, our journey is not over.